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Payroll

Can the DOL contact our former employees?

07/17/2008
Q. We’re in the middle of a U.S. Department of Labor audit. Investigators are looking at payroll records for the past two years. Now they want the names, addresses, phone numbers and positions of all employees who left within the past two years. Do they have the right to this information? Can they go back two years? — D.G., Rhode Island …

How to regain wages paid after worker falsified timecards

07/08/2008
Q. We recently discovered that one of our employees has been falsifying her timecards. When we confronted her, she admitted it but said that she only began doing this recently. An internal investigation showed that this has been going on for several years. Over the past two years our company overpaid her at least $5,000 as a result of her fraud. She resigned. Her final paycheck, including wages and accrued paid time off, is $1,500. Can we refuse to pay her final paycheck and use that money to offset the $5,000 she owes us? How do we recover the remaining $3,500? …

Hand Out Paychecks in Most Efficient, Legally Safe Way

07/01/2008

Putting paychecks (or pay stubs) in employees’ hands is a basic HR chore: No glory, but it must be done right. What’s the best way to do it? HR specialists around the country chimed in on this topic. Here are some of their best ideas … 

Sweep of garment manufacturers nets labor law violations

07/01/2008
California’s Economic Employment Enforcement Coalition (EEEC) has issued 42 citations following a California Labor and Workforce Development Agency sweep of 22 garment manufacturers in Los Angeles and Orange counties. In addition to citations, the EEEC issued fines totaling $457,000 …

Beware hazards when calculating N.C. unemployment insurance tax

07/01/2008
Under the North Carolina unemployment insurance tax law, employers pay a quarterly tax based on a percentage of their payroll. Most newly liable or startup employers are assigned the standard beginning tax rate of 1.2%. Problems can arise when an employer is not truly a “startup” or when two employers combine by merger or other acquisition forms … 

Must we pay for employee uniforms?

07/01/2008
Q. We require our employees to wear uniforms, and we make employees pay for them. A new employee said the employer must pay for uniforms. Is he right? …

OK to withhold pay to cover missing laptop?

07/01/2008
Q. An employee who recently quit hasn’t returned a company-owned laptop computer worth over $1,000. Can we withhold the value of the computer from the employee’s last paycheck? …

IRS Increases Mileage Rates through End of 2008

07/01/2008
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Holding employee’s final paycheck to recoup company property

06/12/2008
Q. Our company has a policy requiring employees who are leaving the company to participate in an exit interview. One of the requirements is to check that the terminated employee has returned all company property, including company manuals, laptop computers, identification badges and similar items. Frequently we don’t get everything back that we should. It has been suggested that we hold the employee’s final paycheck until he or she returns all company property. Do you see any problem with adopting such a policy? …

Minnesota employers push for 401(k) enrollment, direct deposit

06/06/2008
Twenty Minnesota employers, including Target and the University of Minnesota, aim to convince more employees to contribute to their retirement savings plans and use direct deposit for their pay, as part of the employer-organized Financially Fit Minnesota program …